Out of Stock

Description

Like us, you probably never tire of studying the grainy black-and-white photographs documenting cycling's storied past. The images are often haunting, depicting riders low over their machines, grinding away in tall gears over rough, gravel roadways, relying on grit and sheer determination to propel them forward. Next time you look at these images, take a hard look at the equipment those boys were using. With the likes of Coppi and Bartali, you'll discover sew-ups on their backs, wool everything, no helmets, cork bottle stoppers and, perhaps, raw knuckles exposed through the holes of their hand-made leather gloves.

If riders of the day were lucky enough to receive a pair of gloves from a sponsor, you can bet they were made like everything of the day: by hand. In an age where we rely on composites and microfibers, De Marchi decided to slow down a bit, take a breath, and dig into its archives to rediscover a few of the essentials that made cycling what it is today. As part of the archived collection, the Classic gloves De Marchi designed were made to the specifications of what riders were wearing before L'Alpe d'Huez was paved.

The gloves were made from butter-soft perforated leather, hand-sewn in the UK. The palms received thick panels of leather-wrapped padding, providing just the right amount of cushioning and support. At the cuffs, a contrasting 'V' panel was added to the fronts of the wrists, allowing you to easily pull them on, with period-specific button closures at the rear. Additionally, large cutaways at the backs of the hands promote ventilation, and the exposed knuckle design provides you with excellent articulation.

The De Marchi Classic Gloves are available in the sizes Small, Medium, and Large and in the color Cream.